Whatever happened to Pepper?
by 00Esmeralda00
Summary: Set post-2014 movie. Pepper's sister comes to get her from Hannigan. You would think Pepper'd be pleased to get out of foster care. Unless you knew how she got there… My first FanFiction, please review!
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

There was a loud knock on the apartment door. The girls got into position as Hannigan answered the door. "Yes? How may I help?"

"Colleen Hannigan?" A short man in a suit and glasses asked.

"Yes?" She was trying to look sober.

"Alexander Johnson from Social Services. May I come in?"

"Yes, of course. Please do come in." Everyone in the apartment was very confused. Social Services never came without notice.

"Is there maybe somewhere that we could speak in private, Miss Hannigan?" He seemed very uncomfortable; maybe because Hannigan was pushing her boobs out and winking.

"Um, the kitchen?" She led the way. As soon as the door shut, Pepper, Tessie and Isabella rushed quietly to the door listen, with Mia struggling to find somewhere to fit in

"Miss Hannigan," They could hear pretty well through the door. "I'm here to discuss with you one of the girls in your care, Pepper Ulster. Now, as you know, she is coming up to her thirteenth birthday. Usually, at this point, we would evaluate whether it would be best for a child to be placed into a group home-"

"Oh crap," Pepper cursed.

"However, a few days ago, a family member came forward, and wishes to become Pepper's permanent custodian."

"Who? I thought none of them wanted her." _Rude,_ Pepper though. _But true._

"Were you aware that Pepper has a sister ten years older than her that came into state care at the same time as Pepper? I'm guessing not. Well, she aged out soon after and won a college scholarship to become a teacher. She is now in secure employment in a stable living situation and has succeeded in becoming Pepper's permanent custodian and guardian. Her name is Elizabeth, and she will be coming accompanying me tomorrow to collect Pepper. I trust that you'll have her ready by then?"

"Y-Yes. Of course. Do you want to tell Pepper?"

"No, I'm sure that you can handle that once I've left."

Outside the kitchen, the other three girls were staring at Pepper. Tessie's jaw had dropped. Pepper's head was spinning. She hadn't seen Lizzie in four years.

"Quick!" Isabella whispered. "They're coming!"

The girls hurriedly came away from the door.

"Good day girls," He said as he left.

Miss Hannigan turned to Pepper. "You hear the whole thing, kid?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well, you better get packing, then. Go!"


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

As Pepper finally started packing, Isabella slowly came into the room.

"Is it safe?" She was visibly hesitant.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Pepper responded whilst violently throwing clothes in her suitcase.

"Because you're currently trying to kill your clothes, and for the past hour you've been in here swearing and screaming into your pillow. And by the looks of it, you've taken a few swings at it too. Look, just help me understand. Why aren't you happy to get outta the system? If I were you-"

"Well you're not. You don't get it. I wish my parents died in a car accident! It's better than what really happened. And anyway, I don't want to talk about it."

"You never do Pepper. You cut yourself off from the rest of us. Tessie and Mia just think you're mean, but you were here when I got here, and we've been in the same foster home before. I know you. There's more to what you let anyone see. And even if what happened with your parents is as bad as you say, you're not going to them. You're going to your sister. Why are you so angry about that?"

"Because she's just as bad, if not, worse. She's a stranger now. I could be going to live with a crazy person for all I know."

"Well she can't be any crazier than you."

"Hey!" Pepper threw a cushion at her.

"You can't deny it. And anyway, doesn't it mean something that she's back now? And not only that, she went to Social Services and told them that she wants you. That has to mean something."

"I guess you're right. But I don't have to be jumping for joy at the idea."

"No, you don't. Come here, come on." Isabella drew Pepper into a one armed hug. She was just under a year older that her friend and she was the closest thing to a sister that she had. "And, if you think that you'll get rid of me by moving in with your sister, you are very sadly mistaken."

"Damn. And I thought that I could actually get some peace."

"Hey, I'm gonna miss you. Don't forget to pack your stars," Isabella pointed to the star lights that hung light Christmas lights on her bunk.

"I'll pack them in the morning. They're outside, aren't they?"

"I was sent in to see if the bomb would explode."

"Well, it's not over. We still have to get through tomorrow." Pepper was not looking forward to it.

"I'm right beside you." Isabella took her hand and gave it a squeeze.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Pepper zipped her suitcase and looked around the room that she'd lived in for the past year. Although she knew that she was finally leaving the system, and that she should be happy, all she could feel was scared. The foster system had been her life for the past five years and before that was well… But now, she was going to live with Elizabeth again, and she didn't know what that meant. It had been four years, and Pepper had no idea who would walk through the door. Whether it would be the sister who left her alone four years ago, or someone completely different. Would Elizabeth even recognise her? And what would happen to Isabella, Tessie and Mia. Since Annie left, Hannigan had been hardest on her, but she could take it. In fact, she tried to draw the attention to her. After all, Elizabeth had set that example a long time ago.

Pepper dragged her suitcase off the bed, and felt the thud of it hitting the floor go through her. She felt like she was going to throw up. She looked at her watch. Ten minutes, and then, she had no idea what would happen. She left the room, and slowly closed the door, whilst hoping that time would slow down with it. Ironically, she was gonna miss the place. It was absolutely crap living here, but it was also the longest she'd ever stayed in one place. She took a deep breath, and went to the living room, her suitcase in tow.

She saw Isabella, and for a second, forgot that there were three other people in the room. Then, all of a sudden, Tessie asked, "So, you nervous?"

"What? No! Why would I be? It's just another place to live."

"But don't you want to see your sister?" That was Mia.

"What difference does it make? She's just someone else that I'm living with." She caught Isabella's eye, and knew she wasn't fooled. Isabella had seen Pepper at her worst, and they both knew it.

"You brats done?" Hannigan cut in. Pepper was actually glad to her voice. "Cause we got a social worker and a guardian coming in here in less than ten minutes, and this place isn't nearly as clean as it should be. Come on, get to it." The girls got to work.

They finished and sat down, suddenly very tired. Pepper collapsed on the couch next to Isabella, and less than a minute later Hannigan had buzzed them up. There was a knock on the door. Pepper felt a squeeze on her knee. She got up, Hannigan opened the door, and Pepper's jaw dropped.

Elizabeth kept looking from her watch, to her wing mirror, to her rear view mirror, the mirror in her hand. She knew that there was a whole ten minutes until she saw Pepper again, but she'd been sat in her car for the past fifteen minutes, and had been circling the block for an extra twenty before that. She knew that the Social Worker would meet her here in five minutes, brief her, then they'd go up and get Pepper, but she couldn't wait. She'd wanted this day to come for over six months, and when she'd got the call that she'd be getting Pepper back, she starting getting everything ready, and hadn't stopped moving since.

Elizabeth wasn't stupid. She knew that after four years away she wouldn't get the warmest welcome, especially as she left her baby sister in the foster system. She knew that they were both two completely different people than when they last saw each other, and that it would be hard. And she definitely knew that when Pepper found out that she was engaged to a woman there would be some fireworks. But at that point she didn't care. All that mattered in that moment was that Elizabeth was finally going to get her sister back, and that she knew she'd do everything she could to give Pepper the best life she could.

Elizabeth looked in the mirror. "Okay," she told the shock of red hair looking back at her. "Take a breath; put your lipstick on, and stay calm." She tried to do what she told herself, and actually managed the lipstick part; but then she saw Mr Johnson from Social Services pull up behind her and her heart started pounding again. Elizabeth forced herself to breathe, and then she got out of the car.

Making sure she was fully composed, she walked over and met him at the steps to the apartment building. "Mr Johnson. How are you?"

"I am well, Miss Ulster. As you know, Pepper has remained in the state foster system since you removed yourself from it to attend New York University. As per your request, we have not allowed any physical contact or any other form of communication between the two of you, however we have kept you updated of any change in Pepper's situation."

"Yes, oddly enough I am aware of this."

"As you know, Pepper has been in her current foster placement for almost a year, and has therefore become fairly settled. So therefore, when we collect her, it may take a while."

"Well, it wouldn't be Pepper if it was simple. And anyway, I don't just want to rip her from her life, I would never stop her from seeing the girls she's fostered with."

"Quite. Now, as this is a new arrangement, a specific social worker is being assigned to your case. They will work with you, your partner and Pepper to help ease this transition, and will assess the situation at various stages until the state is satisfied that this will be the best living situation for Pepper. Shall we go up?"

Mr Johnson presses the buzzer. The pair are buzzed in and climb the stairs in silence. Mr Johnson knocks on the door and a clearly hung-over woman opens the door. Elizabeth sees four girls in the room, a black, older girl, and three white. One very small, no older than eight, one slightly older, and Pepper. Elizabeth gasped at the young lady that stood before her. Tall, long, dark hair, equally dark eyes, and just… Beautiful. That was the only way to describe her. Beautiful was all she could think.


End file.
